Page 1813 - Politics
MDMK functionary arrested over defamatory post about PM Modi
Sathiyaraj Balu, a functionary of the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), has been arrested by police for uploading a defamatory post about Prime Minister Narendra Modi.Balu has been booked under Sections 504 and 505 (2) of the Indian Penal Code.The Hindu Makkal Katchi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had earlier brought the matter to police's notice and lodged a complaint against Balu demanding action.Police said that Sathiyaraj morphed the picture of Prime Minister Modi wherein he is seen carrying a begging bowl. The photograph was posted before the Prime Minister's visit to Madurai to lay the foundation stone of All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).
Ready to step down: Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy
An agitated Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Monday said that he is ready to step down as Congress MLAs reportedly said "Siddaramaiah is their leader'.He said, "Congress MLAs say Siddaramaiah is their leader, Congress leaders have to watch all that issues, I'm not the concerned person for it. If they want to continue with it, I'm ready to step down. They're crossing line... Congress leaders must control their MLAs."More details awaited.
Ex-Starbucks chief confirms interest in independent 2020 US Presidential bid
Former Starbucks Chief Executive Howard Schultz has said he was preparing to launch an independent campaign for the 2020 US Presidential race, the media reported.
JPP, AAP conspiring against Om Prakash Chautala: Surjewala
Senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala here on Monday alleged that newly-found Jannayak Janata Party (JPP) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have come together to "conspire" against former chief minister Om Prakash Chautala.Surjewala, who is contesting the ongoing Jind by-poll, offered prayers at Somnath Temple.Speaking to ANI, Surjewala said: "The two conspirators- the JPP and (Delhi's Chief Minister) Arvind Kejriwal had come together only to ensure that Digvijay Chautala and Dushyant Chautala's 86-year-old ailing grandfather Om Prakash Chautala was sent to Tihar jail in the middle of the night."Surjewala was echoing what Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) had said a few days back in the wake of the cancellation of the party supremo's parole - for which INLD has demanded a probe.When asked about his views on Haryana's Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar's comment on him being an outsider, Surjewala said: "I think it is an obnoxious claim made by people who neither understand Jind nor ...
29 pc polling recorded in initial hours of Ramgarh polls in Rajasthan
Twenty-nine per cent turnout was recorded in the first few hours of the ongoing polls to the Ramgarh assembly constituency on Monday, officials said. "Polling started at 8 am. VVPAT machines at five booths were replaced during a mock poll drill and three were replaced after polling began, Returning Officer Pankaj Sharma said. Officials said 29 per cent of the 2.35 lakh voters turned out during the initial hours of voting in the assembly constituency. There are 278 polling booths set up for the election in Ramgarh and more than 2,500 policemen have been deployed on election duty. Nine area magistrates are also monitoring the election in the constituency. Election to the constituency could not be held along with other seats during the December 7 Rajasthan assembly polls due to the death of BSP candidate Laxman Singh. As many as 20 candidates are contesting the election. The BSP has fielded former union minister Natwar Singh's ex-MLA son Jagat Singh while former Alwar Zila Pramukh Shafia
Trump warns Europeans not to try to evade Iran sanctions
The Trump administration is closely eyeing efforts in Europe to set up an alternative money payment channel to ease doing business with Iran without running afoul of US sanctions. The White House is putting the Europeans on notice, saying that if they try to do an end-run around U.S. sanctions on Iran, they will be subject to stiff fines and penalties. A spokeswoman for the European Union says preparations for the alternative system are "at an advanced stage" and could be announced "very soon." In an effort to get ahead of any announcement, a senior administration official told The Associated Press on Friday that the U.S. will fully enforce its sanctions and hold anyone accountable for undermining them. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the issue.
Japan PM vows to step up China ties but bolster defense
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has pledged to further expand Japan's already improving ties with China but stressed the need to bolster defense capability as far as space amid concern about China's military activity. Abe's comments came in a policy speech at the start of the parliamentary session Monday. He said bilateral relations have returned to "normal" since he visited Beijing in October and that Japan wants to further elevate Japanese-Chinese cooperation in trade and other areas. He said Japan however needs to expand its defense capability against the potential threat of space and cyber wars as China rapidly advances its aerospace technology. Abe is hoping to lead his party to win parliamentary elections in July and strengthen his grip on power until 2021 or possibly beyond.
Congress wants 'defenestration' of PM Modi, BJP: Shashi Tharoor
The Congress will not hold back its big guns and will pull out all the stops before the general elections, senior leader Shashi Tharoor said, asserting his party wants defenestration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government. Tharoor, who recently wrote a book on Modi titled The Paradoxical Prime Minister, said the prime minister makes all the liberal statements in public such as "sab ka saath sab ka vikas" (together with all, development for all) or the "Constitution is my only holy book", but relies on the most illiberal elements in the Indian society for his electoral support and political viability. Speaking on Priyanka Gandhi's induction as the Congress's general secretary, the 62-year-old MP from Thiruvananthapuram said she had the charisma to galvanise voters and will be an asset to the party. The Congress will pull out all the stops before the general elections. Priyanka Gandhi is seen as a figure with great appeal and great credibility. So far, she has been very ...
Congress takes pot shots at Parrikar's remark
The opposition Congress on Monday said while the BJP-led administration has "collapsed" and the state's debt is mounting, the chief minister is asking about the 'spirit' among people in the state. During the inauguration of third bridge on the Mandovi river in Panaji on Sunday, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had begun his speech with a catchy line from the recently released film "Uri: The Surgical Strike", asking the gathering "how's the josh?" Parrikar was the defence minister at the time of the surgical strike conducted by the Army in September 2016. Retorting to Parrikar's remark, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president Girish Chodankar on Monday said while the administration had collapsed pushing the state into a "crisis", some leaders were asking "how's the josh". "Pehle hosh me aao, baad me josh ki baat karo (first come to your senses and then talk about josh). Everyone is sleeping in the state. The ministers are sleeping and hence, the administration has ...
US lifts sanctions on 3 Russian firms tied to Putin ally
The US Treasury Department has formally lifted sanctions on three Russian companies, including Rusal the world's second-largest aluminium producer, which were tied to an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, despite sharp objections in Congress.
On Feb 1, will it be an interim budget or vote-on-account?
Will there be an interim budget or a vote-on-account on February 1. While the suspense on who will present it has ended with Piyush Goyal again being given additional charge of the Finance Ministry, with general elections round the corner, intense speculation continues about the final shape of the document he will unveil.
25 pc voter turnout in first few hours of Jind bypoll
Nearly 25 per cent polling has been recorded in the first few hours of the high-stake multi-cornered bypoll to the Jind assembly constituency in Haryana on Monday. Polling began at 7 am and will continue till 5 pm. In the first two hours, 15 per cent voters had exercised their franchise and by 10:30 am, the poll percentage rose to nearly 25 per cent, officials said here. People, including nonagenarians, queued up outside polling stations since early morning despite cold weather conditions. No untoward incident has been reported from anywhere, officials said. Necessary arrangements have been put in place for the smooth and peaceful conduct of the election, they said. The bypoll was necessitated following the death of Indian National Lok Dal legislator Hari Chand Middha in August last year. Nearly 1.7 lakh people, including 80,556 women, are eligible to vote, officials said. There are 71 polling booths in rural areas of this constituency and 103 polling booths in urban areas. The ...
Voting underway for Ramgarh assembly seat
Voting began on Monday for the Ramgarh Assembly constituency and in two hours the voter turnout touched 7.28 per cent, a poll official said.
Venezuela opposition leader urges Britain not to give gold to Maduro
CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan opposition leader and self-declared president Juan Guaido has asked British authorities to stop President Nicolas Maduro gaining access to gold reserves held in the Bank of England, according to letters released by his party on Sunday.
Budget session of Goa Assembly from Jan 29
The three-day budget session of the Goa Assembly will begin from Tuesday during which ailing Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar will present the financial statement for fiscal 2019-20. Parrikar, 63, who has been suffering from a pancreatic ailment, is likely to present the budget on January 30 and then table the vote-on-account for five months. Assembly Speaker Pramod Sawant said Parrikar would attend the entire three-day session. The chief minister, who was admitted to hospitals in Goa, Mumbai, New Delhi and the US in 2018, had chaired the Business Advisory Committee meeting last week. Ever since his discharge from the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) in New Delhi in October last year, he has been recuperating at his private residence in Goa and has also made a few public appearances. Governor Mridula Sinha will address the House on the first day of the session. A Bill amending the Tourist Trade Act, to curb liquor consumption and nuisance in public spaces ...
Australia recognises Juan Guaido as Venezuela's interim President
Australia, on Monday, extended its support to Venezuela's National Assembly President, Juan Guaido, recognising him as the interim President until elections are held."Australia recognises and supports the President of the National Assembly of Venezuela, Juan Guaido, in assuming the position of interim president," Marise Payne, Australia's Minister of Foreign Affairs, tweeted.The nation made its decision "in accordance with the Venezuelan constitution and until elections are held"."We now urge all parties to work constructively towards a peaceful resolution of the situation, including a return to democracy, respect for the rule of law and upholding of human rights of the Venezuelan people," Payne urged, highlighting that Australia had called for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to refrain from assuming Presidency on January 10.The nation's recognition of Guaido as interim President comes amidst a raging political crisis in the South American region.On January 23, Guaido, the ...
15% polling in 2 hours in Haryana bypoll
Haryana's lone Jind seat assembly bypoll registered an over 15 per cent voter turnout in its first two hours on Monday.
Bolton warns of 'significant response' to threat against US diplomats in Venezuela
US National Security Adviser John Bolton has warned of a "significant response" to any violence or intimidation against American diplomats in Venezuela amid the ongoing political turmoil in the South American nation.
Trump lashes out at Fox News over wall negotiations
US President Donald Trump slammed Fox News on Sunday, stating that the media outlet has "even less understanding" of wall negotiations than "FAKE NEWS CNN"."Never thought I'd say this but I think @johnrobertsFox and @GillianHTurner @FoxNews have even less understanding of the Wall negotiations than the folks at FAKE NEWS CNN & NBC! Look to final results! Don't know how my poll numbers are so good, especially up 19% with Hispanics?" Trump tweeted, expressing his dismay."After all that I have done for the Military, our great Veterans, Judges (99), Justices (2), Tax & Regulation Cuts, the Economy, Energy, Trade & MUCH MORE, does anybody really think I won't build the WALL? Done more in the first two years than any President! MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!," he put forth.John Roberts is the Chief White House Correspondent for Fox News, while Gillian Turner is the media outlet's Washington Correspondent.While it is still unclear as to which exact incident Trump is referring to in ...
Ethiopia says billionaire al-Amoudi freed from Saudi jail
The Ethiopian prime minister's office Sunday said Ethiopia-born Saudi billionaire Mohammed al-Amoudi has been freed from jail in Saudi Arabia, where he was arrested in 2017 as part of a vast anti-corruption campaign. Amoudi "has been released from prison in Saudi Arabia," premier Abiy Ahmed's office said on its official Twitter account. "We wish Mohammed Al Amoudi a safe return to Ethiopia." The release of the business tycoon could not be immediately confirmed by a Saudi source. According to Forbes, Amoudi is a 72-year-old Saudi citizen born of a Saudi father and an Ethiopian mother. He owns companies operating in agriculture, energy and construction in several countries. Amoudi, whose fortune was estimated by Forbes in 2017 at USD 8.3 billion, was arrested in November 2017 in an unprecedented Saudi purge that included the arrests of princes, ministers and businessmen for alleged corruption. Since then authorities in the oil-rich kingdom have concluded financial "arrangements" in ...